10 Sneaky Sources of Stress at Work—and How to Fix Them

The National Institute For Occupational Safety and Health says a quarter of us list work as the number one stressor in our lives. Here are the sneakiest ways work can stress us out, and how to eliminate them for good.

Problems at home steal the spotlight

daizuoxin/Shutterstock
You’re at your desk, trying to concentrate on the task in front of you—but issues at home are distracting you and stressing you out. Barbara Greenberg, PhD, a clinical psychologist and the co-author of Teenage As A Second Language, says the ability to compartmentalize is key. She explains: “We need to develop the skill of compartmentalizing. You can keep home-life from spilling into work-life by having an appropriate place, perhaps a friend or even a therapist, to talk about the issues at home. This enables you to be fully at work when you’re there, and engaged when you’re at home, too.”

There’s no wiggle room

Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock
Even if you love your job, there are times you must step away to take care of personal business. When your employer isn’t flexible and you don’t have the option, your stress will build. Brie Reynolds, a senior career specialist at Flexjobs, explains, “Flexible work options, like working remotely or having a flexible schedule, are one of the solutions to a work-related source of stress like commuting, as well as others such as office politics, and endless meetings.” According to a Flexjobs survey, 89 percent of those polled believed a flexible schedule would decrease their level of stress. Here’s evidence that working from home is a good for you—and your boss.

Jen Babakhan is a freelance writer who loves to help others through the written word. She writes about faith and motherhood at her site www.JenBabakhan.com, and loves to inspire others through Instagram, where she can be found @jenbabakhan. You can also find her on Facebook @JenBabakhan, Writer.